


Where No Cell Can Hold Me

by Dont-Blame-it-on-the-Kids (Ang_4)



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: After Amon, F/F, but those are the main focus, everyone else shows up too - Freeform, i'll add more as we go~
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:47:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27522535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ang_4/pseuds/Dont-Blame-it-on-the-Kids
Summary: Days or hours, Lin didn't know. Her fingers were bloody and full of splinters as she hit and tore at the wooden bars around her, her voice cracked and growled hoarsely as she called for those cowardly sons-of-bitches to let her out and fight her. Crated like an animal Lin waited, with bared teeth and bloody nails, to see what Amon has in store for her. - Yet another look at the capture and escape of Lin Beifong.
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II
Comments: 16
Kudos: 95





	1. Prologue

Lin sits on the back of the air bison as they escape the scene behind them. 

She sits tall as she looks over the family of airbenders, already planning how to hide them and protect them while Amon’s men look. Maybe they should stop by Zaofu for supplies and a safe bed for a few nights. But would she really want to involve her sister? Amon was dangerous, and this was no way to meet after decades of angry silence. 

Her thoughts were interrupted as Ikki shifted to sit at her feet next to her. 

“Miss Chief? Can I sit with you?” Ikki asked quietly. 

Lin looked to her then to Pema who was holding Rohan and Meelo close, Lin arched her brow asking if Pema was okay with it. Pema nodded once. 

“Sure.” Lin answered gruffly, she glanced away to the clouds passing by to start planning again when she realized Ikki was crawling into her lap. “Uh kid?” she asked as the small child sat on her lap and tightly wrapped her arms around her neck and shoulders.   
“You said I could sit with you.” the girl said simply. 

Lin sighed but relented and put a hand on Ikki’s back. She thought for a moment about why Ikki would feel the need to sit with her… the girl needed something from her or she wouldn’t be doing this. 

“Alright - you did well back there, thank you kids for saving my hide.” Lin’s voice was still her usual gruff but she meant her words. The kids were very brave and she almost felt proud of them… but that wasn’t her place so she kept those feelings tucked away. 

Lin shifted carefully to settle into the saddle as Ikki rested her chin on the rough fabric-metal hybrid armor over Lin’s shoulder. 

It was only a moment longer before Lin felt Ikki tense in her arms. 

“They’re following us!” She cried and Lin quickly set her down to turn to see two large airships coming from the fog of the clouds. 

“Get down.” Lin ordered and Pema took cover behind the rim of the saddle holding her boys close as she reached for her girls. 

Jinora and Ikki quickly moved to take cover next to their mother. 

“Oogie, yip yip!” Tenzin urged the sky bison faster to try to escape the encroaching enemy. 

Lin frowned and deflected a net as she took her position at the back of the saddle. 

The wire fell away limply as she tore the net and another followed soon after. This time Lin had a plan, she knew they couldn't outrun them both, but if she had enough time to take at least one down. 

Lin wrapped her metal cable around the rope of the net and looked back over the family. A grief came to her eyes for a moment. Tenzin’s family looked to her as they huddled out of view of the airships. Tenzin looked ahead, focused on moving as fast as his trusted steed would go.   
It wouldn’t be fast enough. 

Lin took a breath and steeled herself. She would _not_ let this family get hurt. 

It was not from regret, nor love, maybe not even a sense of duty to the airbenders. She felt she owed a debt from long ago, a promise she made to Aang that she broke over and over again. She wanted to finally honor that old friend, and her promise. 

Lin stood tall. 

“Whatever happens to me- don’t turn back.” She said her voice showed no fear, her hands stayed steady despite the trembling she could feel in her core. Lin barely heard Tenzin then the others calling for her as she jumped off the end of the sky bison. 

In the open air Lin felt panic crawl over her skin as she realized fully how far away from the earth she was, hundreds of feet of air with nothing but her armor and cables to protect her. 

Another breath. 

_Focus Lin!_

A pull on her cables and she was soaring through the air. Lin landed heavily and felt her legs and hip protest at the harsh landing but she forced herself to stand and focus, taking hold of the metal beneath her feet. 

Another deep breath. 

_Focus, Surprise round, you only have about six seconds before it is your enemy’s move._

_One_

Lin grunted with effort as she ripped up a large piece of the airship away from itself. 

_Two_

Lin then winced as she moved, running alongside the body of the ship, tearing the side of the aircraft wide open until she felt the heat of the machine exploding under the damages. She felt the jerk then weightlessness as they stalled and started to fall.

_Three_

Running for the edge she used the metal below her to launch herself towards the other aircraft. She didn't have much time now. 

_Four_

Lin cried out this time as she landed harder than before and rolled. She stood quickly not hiding her limp and took hold of the metal below her. 

_Five_

Lin tore up a large section of the metal siding of the airship and hurried to deal as much damage as she could. Smoke billowed out of the damage to the ship as she pulled as much as she could out of place. 

_Six_

Lin tore through a good portion of the siding before metal cables wrapped around her. A shock ripped through her and she screamed as she fell to her knees, she tried to focus, tried to keep her vision from blurring but she couldn’t. 

Another scream tore from her chest as she was shocked again and then fell still. 

Lin Beifong had been captured. 

The family on the sky bison winced as they heard Lin’s screams of agony echo in the open air around them. 

“We have to help her daddy!” Ikki cried as she stood up. She never imagined she would hear Lin cry out in such pain again, on the island it had been their queue to jump into the fight. They could help her again!

“We need to get to safety.” Tenzin said sternly. 

“We can’t just leave her!” Ikki looked to her father then to her mother wide eyed before turning back to see the form of the airship fade back into the clouds. Electricity sparking off the top where Lin had been attacking. 

One ship was falling down faster and faster as fire engulfed it and smoke and soot filled the air mixing with the clouds to form an eerie and grotesque picture. 

The remaining airship was falling back, still spewing smoke and soot from its side as well. 

“After all she’s done for us you’re going to _leave_ Her!” Ikki asked her hands balling into fists. They had Just saved that woman at the island and now she was gone! There was more they could do! They should help! 

“She knows what she’s doing.” Tenzin said sternly but he knew he was trying to convince himself as well. “Lin always has a plan.” he knew turning back would only get them captured as well. He had to protect his family and take this opportunity Lin had created. 

Jinora carefully pulled Ikki into a tight hug, whispering that the chief was strong and that she wouldn’t do anything without a reason. 

The black soot from the fire fell around them and Jinora had a sinking feeling this is what Grandma Katara was talking about seeing before something horrible happened in her youth. Was this a sign that something truly terrible had just occurred? Or worse, would befall Lin? 

Did they truly watch, in real time, with their own eyes, the end of Lin Beifong? 

Jinora couldn’t find a voice for her turning thoughts as she tried to focus on calming her younger sister down. 

Meelo frowned as he looked to the now faded shadows of the aircrafts. 

“That lady is my hero.” Meelo said matter of factly. Pema carefully put her hand to his head and he cuddled close to her, watching the soot fall in the piercingly loud silence. 

“Yes.” Tenzin whispered, more emotion in his voice than he wanted to show. “Yes, she is.”


	2. Face to Face - pt 1

When Lin came too she was being dragged by her upper arms up to the landing before the steps to Air Temple Island. Her head picked up and rolled on her shoulders a moment before she fully recalled what happened and who had her. With a gunt she kicked to get her feet under her but she couldn’t quite get her footing, still dazed from being electrocuted, her feet slipped uselessly on the wet rocks. 

“Let go of me!” Lin demanded as she tried to fight them. 

Lin struggled against the men as they all but threw her to her knees before Amon. Her legs and that damn hip protested strongly but she kept her angry Chief Face in place, not showing the pain. Quickly she took stock of what her situation was. At least a dozen equalists surrounded her as Amon stalked forward. Lin focused on her breathing

_ Three _

They had made the mistake of tying her arms before her. Probably thinking the shock weapon would cut her bite. Untrained men thinking she would not try to fight with an army around her. 

_ Two. They were wrong _

Lin took a deep breath. She was still breathing. Her fight was not over yet. 

_ One  _

As soon as Amon stepped close enough Lin sprung into action. Releasing long knives from her metal gauntlets she cut the ropes and hurled herself at Amon with one fluid motion. This was her one time she would be this close to Amon with her bending. 

_ No time left, only one shot _ . 

The group around her gasped in shock and all took a step towards the sudden fight, but Amon signaled them to stay back. He dodged her first blow and didn’t try to land one of his own. Letting Lin attack him as he sidestepped her knives. 

Lin knew she couldn't beat him, not alone, not with only herself and her bending. Lin could feel him bloodbending her attacks away as he made it look like he was simply dodging her. 

Frustration and anger fueled her movements as she felt the blood in her veins pull her arms into sluggish motions, she felt as if she was untrained, drugged, or maybe even drunk. 

Amon was always one step ahead of them all. Still she attacked and she attacked as hard as she could. 

Lin had hardly liked the game of Pai Sho when she was a child but now she was glad Uncle Aang had taught her to play. Watching the board and knowing who you're fighting. Where to place your pieces and who to sacrifice to win. 

Amon may always be one step ahead, but Lin had always been a fast learner. 

A few more blows that he deflected with his bloodbending, and Lin finally got close enough to get the upper hand. With a push of her foot she slid the earth under his while he was busy deflecting a blow. Amon stumbled at the motion and in the split second Lin had earned to attack freely she threw a sharp metal star that landed between his eyes and embedded itself in the mask. 

The Ivory painted mask protected him in time to get Lin under control. Protecting Amon as his men attacked. Stepping in to help their leader as he stumbled, metal cables wrapped around her wrists and a shock pulled a cry of pain from the deepest parts of her before she collapsed to the stone before Amon. 

“I will enjoy taking your wretched bending away from you, Lin Beifong.” His voice was even and flat but she could hear the sick pleasure he held at her defeat. 

Lin took a painful breath, the cables around her wrists bit tight but she shakily pushed herself up, threatening to stand. 

“Kiss my ass, bastard!” Lin spat at him before she moved to lunge at him. A second shock sent her to her knees again, crying out in agony as her body convulsed with white-hot pain then fell still to the stone of the landing. She had a moment to watch with blurry vision and a wheezing breath as Amon reached for her and her vision fell to darkness. 

Tenzin guided Oogie through the air for hours as the sun set. 

Emotions rolled in his chest and tightened his stomach but he couldn't meditate now. He needed to get his family as far as he could possibly push the sky bison to fly in the time they had. 

The sound of Lin's scream of pain echoed in his ears and Tenzin prayed to whatever spirit would listen that she would live through whatever would happen. 

As the minutes dragged on he could hear the children grow restless, Ikki and Jinora fighting as Pema tiredly tried to handle them. She had just given birth not too long ago and had already been worn out when they started flying. 

“Ikki, I know you don't agree with me but now is not the time to argue.” Tenzin said sternly as he turned to face her. 

Ikki used her air bending to help her jump some and landed on his back carefully, holding to his shoulders and resting her chin next to his head. 

“Why couldn't we save her? We did back on the island.” She asked, her voice cracking with tears. 

“You were very brave on the island Ikki, but the fight was a metal bending fight, you watched her destroy the ships, it wasn't an air bending fight.” He tried to explain. “She wasn't defending anymore. We didn't have the upper hand.” 

Ikki pouted but nodded, she didn't understand. She and Jinora could have grabbed Lin and taken her back to the sky bison. They could have all escaped! The ships turned back anyway. 

Tenzin sighed and moved to gently kiss his daughter's temple. 

“I love you very much Ikki, and I am so proud that your heart is so big you'd help Lin. But you need to trust that she and I are making the right choices to keep  _ you  _ safe.” He said gently. 

Ikki sighed and kissed his forehead before she whispered that she loved him too and went to go sit with her mother again. 

Tenzin flew in relative silence for a few hours more before he started to softly sing an old air nomad song. Something to help calm himself and the others down. 

Jinora was sitting quietly, she almost looked as if she was meditating. When her father started to sing she opened her eyes and quietly joined in on the familiar tune. She sang softly, grateful for the distraction to her storming emotions. 

Ikki was still upset. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as she muttered every now and then how unfair it was that they just let Lin go. Something inside her in agony at the thought of the woman she barely knew captured by that monster. She sat back and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning into her mother’s side as she pouted deeply, not joining into the song. Who could sing at a time like this?! Why were they singing and not going back for their friends? 

Meelo was sound asleep on Pema’s lap but Pema gently rubbed his back and hummed with them. 

Slowly Ikki found herself drifting off to sleep against her mother as Jinora shifted to curl up next to her. 

Before the sun had set fully on the first day of travel all of the airbending children were asleep curled up to their mother in various ways. 

Pema silently ran her hands over their hair and backs. Whispering to each in turn that she loved them, that she and their father would keep them safe. 

An empty promise truly, but she made it nonetheless, she knew who they were up against and she would fight till her dying breath. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyy guys sorry its been so long since the last update! I really want to make sure I write this story well since yall have read my After Amon fics and hc on tumblr lmaoo! updates may vary but i am working on it just slowlyyy. <3 thank you all for ur support!!


	3. Face to Face - pt 2

Tenzin kept flying at a fast pace throughout the next day, stopping only shortly so the family would relieve themselves and Oogie could rest.    
“I’ll change Rohan, love,” Tenzin said gently and he took the baby from her as the sun lowered in the sky on their last daylight pit stop.

Pema smiled and thanked him gently as she leaned up to kiss his cheek. 

“Thank you dear,” she moved to climb off Oogie and stretch. She then smiled wide as she picked up Meelo. 

“Momma where are we going now?” he asked, growing sleepy as he rubbed his eyes.    
“We’re going to somewhere safe,” she nuzzled a kiss to his cheek. “Somewhere Amon can’t find us.” 

“Will Korra meet us there?” Meelo asked through a yawn.

Pema frowned gently. “No, no darling she won’t be meeting us there… Korra will call after she handles things in the city.” 

Meelo nodded, accepting the answer as he rests his chin on Pema’s shoulder and closes his eyes.    
“Korra won’t come help us because she knows we will leave her behind when things get tough.” Ikki snapped staying up in the saddle with her arms crossed over her knees as she glared at her father. 

“Ikki, I know you are unhappy with me right now but comments like that are only hurtful.” he said trying to hold onto his patience. 

“We did  _ not  _ leave Chief Beifong behind, she left us,” Jinora pointed out. 

Ikki mocked her in a false pitched voice and Jinora’s face lowered to a glare. 

“You don’t have to be rude!” Jinora huffed. “I’m just pointing out that she knew what she was doing and she even  _ told us _ to not turn back.” 

“That’s what All the heroes say but they still need help! What if she's hurt?” Ikki asked still upset. “We- we all heard her scream…” her voice lowered and Jinora looked down to her own feet. 

“Ikki,” Tenzin said gently as he finished cleaning Rohan and wrapped fresh cloth on the baby's bottom. “Chief Beifong is a very powerful woman. She knew what she was doing and what the consequences would be. I know Lin would have my head if I turned back and let you guys get hurt anyway.” 

Ikki pouted and lowered her gaze to her hands as she shifted to toy with the ends of her nails. 

“We shouldn’t have left her.” she insisted. 

“We had no other choice.” Tenzin pressed as he moved to gently rock Rohan who had started to cry. “I need to keep you four safe.” 

Ikki huffed but didn't argue further at the moment. 

After a few minutes they had all relieved themselves and Tenzin had a little bit to eat before they gathered everyone back into the saddle and he urged Oogie to take off again. 

It was getting dark but Tenzin didn’t want to stop just yet, he would take Oogie through the second night making sure to put as much distance between his family and Amon’s men as he could. 

After the sun had set Pema sat in the saddle with Meelo asleep on her lap wrapped up in a blanket. Jinora held a sleeping Rohan, curling up against Pema’s side as her eyes slipped closed as well. 

Ikki stayed huddled under her own blanket on the other end of the saddle. 

“Ikki, why don’t you come curl up with me? It's warmer over here.” Pema said softly. 

Ikki looked to her mother then shook her head.    
“No, I’m mad at you too.” She huffed. 

Pema sighed and looked to her baby girl sadly. “Ikki I know, I don’t like what happened either, but Chief Beifong knew what she was doing.” 

“How could she?! How could she know what would happen? What if she’s dead and we could have saved her?!” Ikki cried. “One woman against an army isn’t fair!” 

“Neither is three kids against an army.” Pema said sternly. “Chief Beifong is an adult who knew the situation. If you’re so worried about her, what do you think would happen to you? Or your siblings if they got you three too? Do you think that the Eqalists would go easy on you because you’re kids? At home Chief Beifong had the earth, she had her element, in the air the fight wasn't the same.”

Ikki paused a moment as she thought about it. 

“We still- we could have tried…” she whispered. 

“No baby, we lost the fight, but I am so grateful that because of her we got you four out safe.” Pema offered a sad smile, “No matter what happens Ikki, I won’t forget what Chief Beifong has done for us, even if there isn't much I can do about it right now.” 

Ikki sighed and finally seemed to relent for the moment. 

“You promise?” 

“Of course, I promise, Ikki.” 

“Okay…” Ikki shifted to crawl over to Pema’s free side and curled up to her, finally calming enough to allow her mother to comfort her. 

Pema held Ikki close and rubbed the little girl’s arm, she was very cold from sitting alone so long after dark. 

“I love you Ikki,” Pema whispered as she kissed Ikki’s forehead.

“I know,” Ikki yawned, already growing tired as she warmed up and the day caught up to her. “I love you too mom.”

Pema smiled gently and held her children close as she looked up to the stars in the sky above, sending a quick prayer to any Spirit listening to keep her family, and Lin, safe. 

Lin let out a painful groan as she started to wake up. She was tied once again, but her hands were behind her back this time as she lay face down on a cold floor. Lin barely had time to make sense of her surroundings before a guard noticed she had woken up. 

He came over to her, the mask covering his face she was sure hid a sneer as he roughly grabbed her hair and yanked her head back. 

Lin growled in pain as she started to struggle trying to get her feet up to kick him away.

“I wouldn't do that. See you're going to tell us what we wa-” 

She spat at him, the spit landing on his goggles and the surprise of the action stopping his monologue. 

“I won't tell you shit!” She snapped. Lin felt the hold on her hair tighten moments before her head was slammed harshly into the ground. 

Her ears rang and her vision swam. She could feel something warm run down from her hairline and into her ear and she was sure she had a concussion now. She gasped in pain as he harshly yanked on her hair again, pulling her to face him as the ringing faded from her ears. 

“Let's try this again.” The man said harshly. “Where is the Avatar?” 

Lin smirked and chuckled. “Wouldn't you like to know fucker.” 

The Equalist growled and Lin's head was slammed into the concrete below her once again. 

Lin felt her head bounce with the impact and cried out in pain this time. 

Blood stained the concrete where she had hit as Lin bit back a sob. She rolled onto her back, her vision fuzzy at the edges as her ears once again were filled with the ringing pitch. The stone under her sing against her palm and she flexed her fingers sending three of the men standing around her spinning in place. She heard them gasp in shock before turning back around quickly with growls of their own. 

Lin had barely smiled in a small victory before a kick to her ribs knocked the wind from her lungs, the steel toed boot denting the metal frame of her armor. 

Lin grunted in pain. “Bastard.” She groaned. “I was just having some fun.” She glared up at the ‘lead’ interrogator. “You’re not too at this are you?” 

A kick to her face, a sickening crack, a red hot iron pain and she knew her nose was broken. 

“Fucken shit!” She gasped, eyes screwed shut in pain as she rolled back to her side away from her tormentor. Blood rolled down her face and she winced at the metal taste filling her mouth. 

The man grabbed her hair again this time pulling Lin up to balance on her hip and she moaned with the pain. 

“Where are the airbenders?!” He demanded. 

Lin let out a laughing sob as she shook her head. She was hurting, and suddenly feeling much too old for this. 

“Piece of shit.” She spat blood on his face this time and couldn't help the sob as she once again hit the ground with the growing force of a very angry man. Her shoulder hit first but she once again bounced with the impact and she took a wheezing breath when she hit the floor. 

Lin stayed where she landed panting gently and closing her eyes to try to stop the pain in her head. 

“Bitch,” she heard the man behind her snap. 

They didn't know where Tenzin and his family were, the kids were safe. They hadn’t found Korra and her friends either by the sound of it. Lin had the information she needed and now she needed to get out of here. 

Lin focused on the stone below her and felt it coming, the man shifted to aim another hard kick. With a twist of her foot she shifted the stone under the man's balancing foot to throw him to the ground beside her. She triggered the lever in her armor gauntlet to release the hidden daggers and cut herself free then moving fast she wrapped the stunned interrogator up with her legs. Keeping him on the ground as she turned to sink the dagger deep into his throat. The man gargled once before falling still under her. 

Lin took a steadying breath as she saw her own blooded reflection in the goggles and quickly moved to stand up. 

The others all backed away as Lin staggered to her feet, blood dripping from her face and the weapon. 

“Who the fuck is next?!” She snapped angrily, Lin all but gasped for air through the pain as they all stayed back a moment. The Chief did her best to look a threat and was succeeded but with her vision swimming and blurring oddly, she took an unsteady step Lin felt herself stagger and she knew she lost her opportunity. Not a moment later metal cables wrapped around her from behind and she screamed as she was hit with the current and fell to her knees. 

_ They’re safe, at least they’re safe…  _

Lin reminded herself as her blurry vision grew dark and she slumped forward to the floor. 


End file.
